How to Jump-Start a Car

Whether you’re frequently driving on Salt Lake City roads, or you simply like knowing about vehicles and their operations, knowing how to jump-start a car is a great skill to have. Read this guide to learn the proper way to jump-start a car. And remember, you can always reach out to our service center at 385-376-1576 if you have any questions, or if you need any additional service tips and tricks.

How to Properly Jump-Start a Car

When your car needs a jump in West Valley City, you there are jump-start car services that can contact for assistance. Although, if you’d like to take on this task yourself, it’s a fairly simple process. To begin, you’ll need another person and their vehicle, as well as a set of jumper cables. From there, follow these steps to jump-start your car battery:

1. Move the two vehicles so that they’re facing each other, hood to hood. Some foreign cars may have their vehicle in the trunk, so you want to factor this in. Make sure that both vehicles are turned off and that their parking brakes are engaged.
2. Open their cars’ hoods and locate their batteries. You may need to remove a plastic hood to expose the battery terminals.
3. Grab your jumper cables and separate the red ends from the black ends. Make sure they don’t touch because they can spark.
4. Connect the red clamp to the positive post on the dead battery, then hook the other red clamp to the positive terminal of the charged battery.
5. Connect the black to the negative post on the good battery, then connect the last black clamp to a grounded, unpainted metal surface on the car’s frame.
6. Once everything is securely hooked, start the engine of the vehicle with the good battery.
7. After the dead vehicle has been jump-started, carefully remove the jumper cables in the reverse order that they were placed. Be sure to keep the other vehicle runner.
8. Keep the vehicle with the jump-started battery running for at least ten minutes to make sure that the battery doesn’t die right away. Consult your owner’s manual for more information on recommended times. It’s also recommended that you get your battery tested and/or replaced ASAP.

Additional Battery Tips & Tricks

Having battery trouble in the West Valley City area is never ideal. But if your car won’t jump-start, it could be more than just a dead car battery. Here are some things to keep in mind:

• If you hear a clicking sound when you try to start the car, the starter may not be functioning.
• If the vehicle’s electrical systems turn on, but the engine doesn’t, there could be an issue with the ignition switch, starter, or the fuse. You’ll want to consider bringing your car into a service center for further diagnostics and testing.
• Once your car receives the jump-start, don’t forget to keep it running, as this allows the battery to recharge after it’s been completely drained.

Learn More About Car Care with Prestman Auto

Now that you know how to jump-start a car battery, reach out to the certified technicians at Prestman Auto to learn more about automotive services and care. If you’re in need of battery service, schedule an appointment at our facility near West Jordan. While you’re at it, be sure to browse our service specials and parts specials, where you can find great deals on routine maintenance and key automotive components like batteries.